Corn cutting and shocking machine



f Dec. 23, 1941T P. c. FLORENCE CORN cuTTIING `AND sHcKINGfMAcHINE"Filed March :51,l 1939' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "nf," YS) l l Dec. 23,1941. IF. c. FLORENCE I 2,257,454 l CORN CUTTING AND srxocKING"mamma l FiledMarch 31', 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 I UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE; r

CORN CUTTING AND IsiioclnNof MACHINE Palmer C. Florence, vCircleville,Ohio l l .Application March 31, 1939. serial No. 265,351

l 2 o1ai`ms. l (Crta-ss) This invention relates generally to farmmachinery and in its more particular aspects is directed to a combinedcorn cutting and shocking machine. iThe device is semiautomatic inopera'- tion `and may be drawn either by horse or tractor.

The primary object resides in the provision of a frame having groundengaging wheels and a cutting mechanism which is operated by powerAderived from the ground engaging wheels. The

frame is provided-with means for receiving the! corn stalks and formingthem into a shock. The shock forming 4means is tiltable to position theshock in vertical order upon the ground after it is formed. v

Another object resides in providing the shock forming means with amember to apply compressive force to the upper end of the shock and tomaintain the force While a tying element is placed around the upper `endof the compressed shock.

Additional objects will be apparent from the following description andthe accompanying drawings. y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a combined corn cutting and shockingmachine formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken through themachine on the plane indicated by the line III- III ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the shock forming hopper;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane indicated bythe line V--V of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the plane indicatedby the line VI-VI of Fig. 5; p

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the hopper duringthe formation of a shock;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the hopper in position to deposit theshock on the ground.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral I designatesthe machine in its entirety. This machine comprises a main frame 2composed of longitudinally extending members 3 joined at their forwardends by transverse members 4. A supplemental frame 5 is provided at theforward end of the main frame and both frames have horizontal platformsupon which the operators stand. The main frame is provided at the rearportion with a transversely extending axle 6 to the ends of which aresecured cleated ground engaging wheels 1. The forward end of the sup--the rear edge of the main frame.

plemental frame has a `transverse steering frame pivotallyfastenedthereto and to the ends of which are secured the steering wheels 8. Apair tudinally extending shaft I I connected at its forward endxby meansof a universal connection I2 Vto a short shaft section I3 journaled in atransverse portion of the main frame.

To theforward end of `the shaft section I3, there is secured a flywheelhaving an eccentrically disposed crank extension I5. Below the iiywheel,the supplemental frame has a transversely extending stationary serratedknife I6 upon which is slidably supported a similar movable knifesection I'I. These knife sections are serrated at their end portions toprovide cutting mechanisms at either side of the machine. The V-shapedserrations on the knives are sharpened to provide cutting edges used insevering the stalks as the machine is driven thereagainst in theoperation for which it is intended. At pitman I8 has one end connectedto the crank I5 and the other end to a elevis I9 provided in connectionwith the movable knife section II. As the machine is drawn over theground, the rotation of the rear Wheels will impart similar movement tothe shaft l I and the ywheel I4. The pitman will transfer this movementto the knife II and it will be moved back and forth relative to thestationary knife. Any material placed in the serrations in the kniveswill be severed by this relative movement between the sections.

An elevated seat 28 is provided adjacent the forward end of the frameupon which the operator sits when driving the machine. When corn isbeing cut, two operators stand on the platforms immediately back of theknives to catch the corn stalks. After collecting an armful, theoperators place them in a horizontally disposed trough-shaped hopper 2|carried by the main frame. This member when viewed in plan is oftruncated triangular conguration and is open at the top and both ends.It is formed of sheet metal and is reenforced around its edges by anglemembers 22. The lower edge of the rear end of the hopper is connected byhinges 23 to ,At one side of the forward end, the hopper has a pivotedlever 24 which engages a serrated latch bar 25 carried by the oppositeside of the hopper. The lever has its intermediate portion notched as at26 to prevent the stalks from slipping when force is applied to the freeend of the lever to compress the stalks prior to tying them with cordfrom a ball placed in a twine box 21 provided at one side of the hopper.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, when the shock is approximately one-halfformed, a bar 28 is positioned in openings 29 i-n the hopper and extendstransversely thereof to space the remaining stalks from those iirstplaced in the hopper in order to make the base of the shock wider sothat it will maintain its vertical position when placed on the ground.After a suii'icient number of stalks have been placed in the hopper toform a shock, the lever 24 is operated to compress the upper ends of thestalks and when thus compressed, they are tied to maintain the shock inassembled condition. After the tying operation, the ihopper with theshock therein is moved to a vertical position 'on its hinges 'as showinin v8. The lever 24 is then moved from engagement with the bar 425 andthe shock Vplaced on the gr'ou'nd iat the rear =o`f the machine. Thehopper Vis then moved to its horizontal position ready to receivevanother shock. A chain 30 connecting the frame and the free end of thehopper prevents lthe latter from vtipping Acompletely over when moved.toa vertical position.

-From the foregoing, it will be seen `that I have provided a machine forcutting and shocking `corn which Wil-l Ipermit two operators to quicklycut `and shook 'a much largerq-uant'ity than is possienema;

ble by hand. The machine is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. It iseasy to operate and will require a minimum amount of care.

What I believe to be new and desire ,to secure by Letters Patent is setforth in the appended Claims.

I claim:

1. In a corn cutting and shocking device of the type having a frame,power driven cutting mechanism thereon, and shockassembling means havingv'a hopper pivotally supported on said frame for movement about atransversely extending axis, shock compressing means comprising a leverpivoted for swinging movement across the forward end of said hopper,serrations provided on one edge of said lever at the intermediateportion, and means provided adjacent the rear end 'of said hopper forholding the butt ends of the corn stalks placed therein in spacedrelation.

2. In a corn cutting and shocking device of the type having a frame,power driven cutting .mechanism thereon, lshock assembling means'comprising a body rof truncated pyramidal form and having an open topand'ends, said body having registering openings adjacent the larger end,stalk spreading vmeans removably received by said registering openings,a lever pivotally supported vby ysaid body at "a point disposed midwayof the height of the smaller end, serrations formed on one -edge `vofsaid lever at `the portion adjacent the pivot Yfor said lever, and meansfor holding said lever in different positions of adjustment.

PALMER C. FLORENCE.

